African-Democratic-Congress-ADC
The National Publicity Secretary of the opposition coalition African Democratic Congress (ADC), Bolaji Abdullahi, has dismissed insinuations in some quarters that he was holding ground for the former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, in the party.
He said that those who hold such views are either misguided or wallowing in mischievous falsehood, adding that he never sought the former Senate President’s opinion nor spoke to him in a long while, even before the 2023 general election.
Following the halt in the reconciliation efforts of his committee, the political future of the former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, has been a subject of intense speculation, particularly given his delayed presidential aspiration after leaving the All Progressives Congress (APC) and going back to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Recall that in March 2014, Abdullahi, who was appointed as Minister of Youth Development and later appointed as substantive Sports Minister, was removed from office by President Goodluck Jonathan. Nigerians said the then-performing Sports Minister was axed to get at Saraki, who nominated him, for defecting to the APC.
Similar speculations trailed Abdullahi’s unveiling last July as the acting National Publicity Secretary of ADC, with many insisting that he was so appointed to preserve Saraki’s interest pending the final resolution of the crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
But, speaking to The Guardian in Abuja, the ADC spokesman dismissed the insinuation derisively, remarking that his decision to join ADC, as well as his current position in the party, was strictly personal and on merit.
“No, not at all; my membership of ADC is entirely my choice. There is nothing like holding ground for anybody. I decided to join other patriotic Nigerians to find durable solution to the rot in the system. I am neither anybody’s ambassador nor proxy.
“I am in ADC to join hands with well-meaning citizens to salvage the country from its rudderless drift. I want to be able to tell my children that at a time of grave socio-economic despair in the country, I dared to ask questions and recommend alternative solutions.
”The ADC spokesperson refused to comment on the political future of the former Senate President, stating that he is focused on contributing his quota to the nurturing of ADC into a stable political party that would birth good governance and sustainable growth for Nigeria.
The Guardian reports that the former Sports Minister parted ways with Saraki after losing the PDP governorship primary in Kwara State, even though he disagreed. In a statement, Abdullahi had declared, “There are many factors at play in politics. Therefore, interpreting what happened as betrayal is not correct.My leader, Dr Bukola Saraki, did not betray me.
“Whatever sacrifices I have made in the past were based on my personal principles and were not contingent on expectations of any reward.”
With the state of flux in the main opposition PDP, speculations continue to swell that the former Senate President, who sides with the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike’s camp, may be heading back to the APC or joining his allies in the ADC.
